Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a complex crime that impacts thousands of people in the United States every year. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, or nationality. However, some people are more vulnerable than others and traffickers use their vulnerabilities to take advantage of them. Anyone can be a trafficker, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, or connection to their victim. Many people believe that traffickers are strangers to their victims but this is often not true. The reality is that most victims of trafficking know the person exploiting them. Traffickers can be family members, intimate partners, employers, or other familiar or trusted individuals. They use complex physical and emotional tactics, power, wealth, or privilege to control and abuse others.

What is Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is an international and federal crime; it is also a crime in every U.S. state. Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Force, fraud, and coercion can be physical or psychological and involves, lies, tricks, threats, manipulation, and violence.

Definitions and Examples:

Force: physically harming or restraining a victim. For example, some traffickers harm victims to keep them from leaving, they may also keep them locked in the house. They may compound these forceful tactics by taking away their mode of transportation or taking away their means of communication.

Fraud: intentionally lying about or promising someone something without any intention of keeping that promise. Typically this happens so an individual can benefit personally or financially. Some traffickers trick their victims by forming fake relationships with them and making fake promises to them or making, advertising for, and recruiting for false job opportunities.

Coercion: forcing somebody to do something they would not normally do. For example, some traffickers tell victims that they will kill or seriously harm them and their loved ones if they do not do what they say or if they tell anyone about what is happening to them.

What do Human Trafficking Victims Need

The needs of human trafficking victims are unique and vary from person to person. Depending on their situation, some trafficking victims may need emergency or long-term services. For example, a victim who is severely injured may need help getting emergency medical care. Or, a victim who was able to leave their trafficking situation on their own may need help finding a safe place to stay or long-term housing. A victim who needs help leaving their trafficking situation may or may not need the assistance of law enforcement. Some victims may not want to involve law enforcement at all and would prefer to receive assistance from a service provider. In any case, a victim of human trafficking may need information about their rights and a plan to help keep themselves safe.

Other needs can include:

Victim Advocacy

Legal Assistance

Financial Assistance

Food, Shelter and Housing

Medical and Dental Care

Counseling and Support Groups

Substance Abuse Treatment

Case Management

Immigration Services

Interpretation and Translation Services

Employment and Training Services